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Differentiating respiratory infections from COVID-19

COVID-19 omicron
Posted at 7:00 PM, Jan 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-12 20:00:43-05

It's not an easy code to crack doctors say, the omicron variant has symptoms similar to any other respiratory infection, making it harder to tell the difference.

A resident in Killeen, Kallie Campbell said, “I just thought it was really bad allergies or the cold or the flu and it took me two weeks to get over it and I also got tested twice.”

Dr. Van Wehmeyer with Baylor Scott & White Health said, “Omicron is kind of a classic respiratory infection and unfortunately there’s kind of not a difference between that and one of our common viruses we’re seeing like the rhinovirus or even the flu. One thing that we do see with omicron as appeared to the other respiratory viruses is that it hits you pretty hard pretty fast… it has a headache that may come with it compared to the other respiratory viruses that may start with just a runny nose. ”

It's tricky to spot the difference between respiratory viruses and COVID-19 because of the close similarities their symptoms share, doctors encourage you to get tested but say, pay close attention to the chances of it being COVID-19, before coming to get tested and having to wait in long lines.